The river.

Chapter Sixteen.

Icris was staring at Anam. Anam acted as though he hadn't noticed. Though deep inside, he was full of excitement. I mean, she looked like a goddess and not very often a random guy gets noticed by a goddess. At least that's what he thought.

Peter was gazing at the floor, questioning his feelings for Jenny. Replaying those little moments they shared. He wanted Jenny to find her husband but deep down he wished she hadn't known he could be found. It hit him, he was in love with her. And there was nothing he could do to make Jenny his. He suddenly punched the air. All eyes were on him.

"Hey, dude, you okay?" Mundas asked with a concerned intonation in his voice. Which was hard to get from him.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Peter lied. He shook off the anger and turned to face Mundas.

"Why are they taking so long? Is it that hard to find him?" Peter asked with a sense of jealousy.

Anam smiled, "You miss your girlfriend, don't you?"

Peter walked to Anam and held him up by his neck, "Leave....me....alone. You got that? Or you will see your own blood spilling everywhere."

Peter threatened Anam in a quiet yet traumatising voice. Anam maintained a tough face. He just kept staring at Peter. Mundas, Icris and Davantis went to pull Peter behind.

"Excuse me Mr. Tough Guy, put down the tantrum act. You're not the only one going through a lot you know," Mundas said.

Peter stepped back and went downstairs, feeling too embarrassed to stay.

"Why are we even here with him? All he does is think of himself," Anam complained.

"Enough!" both Icris and Davantis commanded, "You don't want to be banished from here now do you?"

The room was filled with silence.

Out of the blues, a portal appeared, the same spot it appeared when Jenny and Marlock were leaving and they both fell out of the portal. Marlock fell on top of Jenny. Everyone stared. Peter came up on hearing the noise.

"You guys went through a love tunnel or something?" Peter ruined the moment, as usual. Jenny cleared her throat and stood up so did Marlock.

"Where is daddy?" Johnny asked, "He promised to come for me."

Marlock looked at Johnny with sad eyes. He wanted to hug him and carry him so bad as his father but he couldn't. He almost cried but got hold of himself.

"He will come soon, child," Marlock assured him as he bent down to be at per with his height.

"So you guys never found him?" Anam asked.

Marlock breaths heavily, "Not yet," he said.

"In the mean time can they stay here with you?" Davantis asked Marlock.

"Peter, Anam and Mundas in the downstairs guestroom. Jenny and Johnny in the upstairs room," he directed them.

"Why separate us?" Peter asked, "Why should Jenny sleep next to your room?"

"Oh Peter, you really want us to begin now? Keep your history with her aside for a moment. Deep down you know you betrayed Jimluis, and you have the guts to talk? No one needs to notice how much you are in love with what's not and never will be yours. So keep it to yourself. Got it?" Mundas was furious. Fortunately for him he was the only one who could make Peter shut up.

"You are not a bad person Peter. You helped many, sacrificed for many. But don't make yourself the only hero around here," Jenny added with her soft but firm voice.

Peter squinted his eyes at Jenny then Marlock, suspiciously.

Johnny's eyes began glowing again. He then heard heartbeats. He could listen to everyone's pulse around him. And Marlock's pulse had the same rhythm to the pulse he initially heard in his head. A whisper was then heard in his head.

"Look keenly, he found you. Find him. Save him."

"Son?" Jenny approached Johnny, "Are you okay?"

"He's here mom. He's here! Papa?" Johnny called out.

Marlock had the ability to talk in his head with whoever he is talking to listening to him.

"Yes son, and I need you to promise me you will do as I say, got it?" Marlock stold Johnny. Johnny could hear the words.

"Anything!" He shouted.

"Honey, who are you talking to?" Jenny asked Johnny.

"Look at me Johnny, I'm one of us standing here, shapeshifted into another form," Marlock said.

Johnny found himself facing Marlock. He immediately fell down and collapsed. His heart stopped beating. His skin was crazily hot.

"What is happening?" Jenny asked.

"He couldn't bare the power even when I'm Marlock. Here, hold his face," Marlock told Jenny. He placed his hand over Johnny's chest and whispered a spell to himself. Johnny was up in a matter of seconds.

He ran straight to the room Marlock told him and his mother to sleep, crying. Jenny followed him. Marlock stayed there, looking shocked and depressed. Seeing his son dead for a few seconds made him paralysed in fear. The minute he shed a tear, his face changed to Jimluis. He turned away from everyone else and faced the window, No one had noticed yet that he changed.

Icris walked up to him.

"Sir, he is okay, right?" she asked. He still didn't turn behind.

"Marlock, you fear death so much, don't you?" Peter asked.

Whoever they thought was Marlock turned to face them. Peter's mouth went agape. He could not believe it.

"Jimmy?" he called out.

Peter then recapped when Marlock told him about him betraying Jim. He instantly cried.

"You are him? What? Where is Marlock?" Peter asked.

"Died, trying to defend what he believed in," Jim's voice was exactly as Peter remembered it.

Before Peter could say anything else, Jimluis walked past him and out of the room, to Jenny and Johnny.